Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-04-25


love of which no one knew but Mil
lie and herself had sprang up in her
heart.
''Won't it be jolly / had been so
longing for a ball." she said in a
strained voice. 1t was mockery of
mirth. Millie had expected under
the circumstances that she would have
declined to go. But that would only
have led her father to ask questions,
so she pretended To look forward To
the day with her old delight.
Shirley Hall was large, old-fash-
ioned rambling honse, full of long
corridors, secret passages, and odd
shaped rooms. The original build
ing was hundreds of years old, but it
had been added to and added to until
it was the most extraordinary arrange
ment IN brick and mortar that ever
YOU saw. The rooms were still shown,
with their deep wainscottings and
sliding panels, wherein a number of
Royalists had taken refuge after the
battle of Worcester. A large ball
room had been specially built for this
coming-of-age fete, and invitations
had been sent to all the best families
in the country.
AT last the day came. Aunt Ra-
chel, of course, went with the girls.
The first person they met when they
entered the room was Grace Wilton.
She was looking splendid in her dress
of creamy lace with bouquets of GRIM
son roses, smiling triumphantly on
all around. Was she not soon to
wed the handsomest man in the room,
the richest heir in the country? For
Jasper Darrell was there, too. The
two girls,th tall and imperial Grace,
and the frail Tiny, were standing
side bv side when he came up to
them. He evidently felt a touch of
shame, for his face flushed scarlet.
He shook hands, chatted a moment,
and then went off with his financee.
"He has chosen well. They are a
handsome pair. She is far more suit
ed to him than | should be. Poor
little Me would look quite silly by his
side," said Tiny, with a laugh, as she
watched them. Her sister hoped that
the pain was dead, and felt lighter in
herself; but she had had no expert
ence vet of the depth and strength
and endurance of woman's love.
The ball was a great success, and
all said they had enjoyed themselves
immensely. Several of the guests
were to stay at the Hall for a couple
of days, a whole round of entertain
ments being provided. Darrell was
staying, so was Grace, so were the
Packhams. Tho noszt day thny all
took things quietly, and in the even
ing were in bed bptimes. All sorts
of plans had been laid for the NOR
row, for no one foresaw the tragedy
the night would bring forth.
The servants had hardly retired
half an hour when the house was
startled by the cry of "Fire %
'tFire! Fire Fire !'' was
echoed down the corridors, startling
the sleepers and filling hearts with
fear. Before the household was fair
ly aroused the flames had possession
of the old structure-they feasted on
time-worn timbers and leaped to-
wards the red-tiled roof. To the
guests sleeping in the new portions
of the structure there was little dan
ger, for they had time to dress and
save themselves, but it was a terrific
scramble for life with many in
the old wing, for the flames had
possession of the staircase and the
landings were all ablaze.
care all here?'' cried Bob Shirley
to the terror-stricken group gathered
in the courtyard watching the arms
of smoke and flame that held the
house.
Yes. The ladies were all saved.
Tom Packham was with the rest of
the boys hard at work at the pumps
and the fre-engines kept on the
premises.
SIS Darrell with you, Packham p
"No; we have not seen him.
He was sleeping on the top floor.
Just then sheet of flame burst forth
and lit up all the windows. a shrek
of terror broke forth from all who
saw at one of the windows near the
roof the white face of Jasper Dar-
rell.
He is doomed.
''Oh save him save him 20 wall
ed Grace Wilton in despair. Scan
nobody save him.
''There is no hope by the staircase
it has fallen. But / know a way,
and Bob Shirley, always brave and
fearless, darted into the smoke. In
a moment he came back-his face
black and his clothes scorched.
Hopeless. There is a secret stair
case and a narrow passage at the top
which communicates with the room
Jasper is in, but part Of the stair
case has fallen in, and am much
too big to get through, and he could
not pass either. If we could only
get a rope 10 him. There are bars
TO the windows, and be could let him
self down"